And they lived happily ever after
by Rand Al'Tor
Summary: What happens to the cast later on. This is gonna take more chapters. Sorry for the delay
1. An end, a beginning.

Their lips parted. Squall's ears started to transmit again. He heard the music again. Somehow it seemed to sound better than before. The starry night. the smell. The taste of Rinoa's lipstic. And Rinoa. Everything was perfect. He had been so afraid when he couldn't find her after they had defeated Ultimecia, one month ago. but that was the past. It seemed to Squall that everything between Ultimecia's death and the kiss they just exchanged was but a dream. A dream that was sometimes nice, and sometimes scary. Everything before Ultimecia's death seemed real, but very dark, like he had never seen the sun shine. Now the sun was shining. He looked at Rinoa's happy face. His face felt funny. He was probably smiling. It felt odd and wonderfull. His brain that had finally started working again read the message in his heart and started to form the feelings in words.   
  
"Rinoa...I...I like being with you... I want it to stay this way..."  
  
Rinoa looked at him amazed, her mouth fell open. Squall's heart was going nuts. "I already gave you my ring Rinoa... I have no ring that's worth more to me... I'd ..ask if you'd... if you'd..." His training as a SeeD surfaced and grabbed his tongue.   
  
"I would like to ask you, Rinoa Heartlilly, If you'd want to marry me?"   
  
Rinoa inhaled and exhaled, her eyes streaming as a raincloud. She jumped him as she had done when they met for the second time in Timber. Squall was less secure on his feet this time however and fell over. She sat upon his chest and covered his face with her lips. "Yes...Squall...I want that...More than anything..." They stopped suddenly. Looking aside they saw people looking at them. Irvine cursed. "WHY do batteries always run out on times like this?" Rinoa and Squall smiled. They couldn't care less whether this was filmed or not. They would never forget this moment.  
  
...  
  
"Good day sir." Squall saluted Cid in the usual matter.   
  
It had been four months since the third sorceress had concluded. Balamb Garden had been restored in it's old place, but this time built so that it could become mobile again without to much damage and cost. Trabia garden would be back in full operation within months, as mobile as balamb garden, since the underground machinery wasn't damaged. Irvine had taken the command of the reconstructing of Galbadia garden, while Selphie was in Trabia Garden, but they spend more time calling eachother on telephone and videophone than bossing people around. Quistis had taken her old job again as instructor. Zell was working hard as a SeeD, honing his skills even further. Seifer and his Posse had... dissapeared. Nobody really seemed to care. To everyone's surprise Squall had eased down on the training. This was unheard of. Squall used to be in the Training center for hours on end. He had been to concerned with Rinoa however. They had hardly left eachothers side. And than of course, there was the wedding. Squall didn't feel bad. The wedding was merely the formalities. He hadn't been a 'free' man sine... since that day they fought Galbadia Garden. When Zell had said that she had fallen Squall's heart that felt like ice most of the time had felt a crack. He hadn't wanted to admit it howeer, and tried to act like it didn't matter. And tomorrow he would marry her. He had been summoned to Cid. Cid had taken back the control of Balamb Garden, 'to give Squall a chance to enjoy his love.' Squall hadn't said anything. The first month everything seemed to go fine. Than Cid began to give Squall responsebilities. Squall had taken them, one by one. but while he did that, he had also been busy making sure that he shared his experience. Many of his 'pupils' full fledged SeeD's were allready shaking their heads when he misorganized things. Than he started preparing the wedding, and had another good reason for 'weaseling' out of the 'leader's role'  
  
Cid saluted back. "At ease Squall." He sat down in his chair. He sighed.   
  
"Squall, I've been thinking. Over the last 4 months I've been realizing that running this Garden is to tiring a job. I've become an old man Squall."   
  
This was true. Cid was rapidly losing his last hairs. His walk had gone slower, and he seemed forgetfull, though some of that was undoubtly a show to get Squall to take over. It seemed so strange. To Squall Cid had always seemed so... eternal.   
  
Cid continued. "I know you're a man of short words Squall, so I'll make it short. Your marriage tomorrow is the last official activity I shall be present as Headmaster. Tomorrow, I retire. Old men should live in old houses, with their beautifull, yet ripe wife and with old books. Garden needs a new, strong man. a man like you Squall."   
  
Squall had known this would happen as soon as he had been called by the intercom, he hadn't deluded himself by hoping it wouldn't happen. He was prepared. It still wasn't easy. Cid looked in anticipation. Squall sighed. He probably expected an outburst of anger, like when he was made temporary leader, or maybe a stoic thak you for the trust in him. maybe he even hoped Squall would be glad. Squall was going to break his heart.   
  
"No sir, I can't do that" His voice was calm. The emotions wouldn't be coming from him this time.   
  
"What, why not? Don't give me any I'm not good enough hogwash. You and I know that... "   
  
"No Sir, it's not that." He sighed "I had hoped to do this after the wedding." He took a paper out of his inner pocket and gave it to Cid. It had been one of the hardest things he had ever typed, and giving it was even more difficult.   
  
"What is this?" Cid said, as he took his reading glasses. He grew pale."What... What does this mean Squall? Is this a joke? I.. I..."   
  
Squall shook his head. "No sir, I respectfully offer my resignation as a SeeD of Balamb Garden as of tomorow after the wedding ceremionies." There, the words were said.   
  
"But...WHY?"   
  
"It's to dangerous. Sir."   
  
"Dangerous? but you battled Ultimecia!"   
  
"In the beginning I fought because,.. because it was all that I had in life."   
  
The certainty of steel and magic. The clarity that it gave. The battle began and ended. There were two sides. One died. It was always the other. Sometimes Squall thought that he had been searching for death.   
  
"And later on I fought to protect what was dear to me. Now I have other things in life, and I know that all I hold dear is safe. I am not a hero sir. I am not willing to risk my life for their freedom. And I am not a mercenary, I won't do it for money."   
  
"But doesn't Balamb garden means anything to you?"   
  
"Of course sir. It's my home. It became my home right after the orphanage. Should it be in danger, I will gladly come here and fight. But as far as I see Balamb garden will survive without me. There are other students with lots of promise."   
  
"Squall, I've been like a father to you."   
  
"As far as I am concerned sir, you are the closest thing I have to a father." It was a public secret that Squall was the son of president Laguna of Eshtar. He hadn't showed himself however. He was probably to busy rebuilding Eshtar. It was fine with Squall. He was busy too. "But there is a day when a son must choose his own path, and I do not like the path you set me."   
  
Cid fell deeper in his chair. Squall silently left the office.  
  
To be continued.  
  
(edited following the hints in the review) 


	2. The lion and the lilly. Two persons, one...

"Than I pronounce you man and wife." Edea said.   
  
Squall kissed Rinoa. The shock still hit him as hard as that first time on the balcony. Edea had done the service. Actually Squall had hoped Cid would have done it, but he hadn't showed up. It saddened Squall, but he wasn't about to let it ruin his day. Cid would come around. As he turned around and walked to the rental car he saw his old comrades, that's what they were now, in a flash. Zell, with a hot dog in his hand, was pretending not to have tears in his eyes, Irvine and Selphie were standing side by side, Irvine fearfully seing the gleam of Selphie at Rinoa's bouquet. He didn't see Quistis untill Rinoa threw her bouquet. As all the women and girls went for it, Quistis remained standing, a sad look on her face. The bouquet fell before her. She picked it up, and threw it at Selphiewho catched it. Irvine glared at Quistis. Than Squall went into the limo. He was still dressed in a SeeD uniform, though he wasn't a SeeD anymore. The words hit him. He was not a SeeD anymore. The only things he had now that reminded him where his uniform, the money on his account, and the Lionheart that was in a case in the trunk. Locked. He had said his last goodbyes to each of the GF's he had used, some of them were sad, others had used it as a last resort to abuse him. He looked back trough the back window a last time. "Regrets?" Rinoa asked. Squall knew that she wouldn't be angry if he would change his mind. She knew this place was special to him. Squall turned back to her. He looked at her, dressed in a light blue marriage dress. "No."  
  
They drove over to Balamb, loaded their luggage in the train, and left for their honeymoon. As the train left, a blond man in a white trenchcoat watched the train leave. He didn't cry. He didn't even feel sad. Just very tired. He knew that this had been the only outcome possible. He remebered Edea's coice, back in Timber. He had lost Rinoa there and than, or maybe even when he had failed his SeeD test. In any case, even if he could have done something than, it was to late now. Rinoa was gone. He waived at the leaving train.   
  
"Goodbye, Rinoa... I hope Squall will make you happy. If he doesn't I'll personally slit his throat." He turned around. "Come on Rajin and Fujin, let's go to the hotel room" The two followed.  
  
...  
  
Squall stretched and started to put on his clothes. This had been their first night as a married couple. They had slept together before. Neither of them was particulary conservative about that, but to Squall, this had been a night unlike all the others. Even as he and Rinoa made love, there was a part of him that wasn't busy with Rinoa, even than. A part of him that was prepared to stand up, salute and get into a fight at any time. the SeeD. Squall didn't know if the SeeD was dead, but at least he was asleep, and didn't bother Squall, the man in love. He looked at Rinoa, who was still sleeping. He took the bottle of chapaign and pushed it against the bottom of her feet. She yelped.   
  
"SQUALL!! Don't ever do that again!" She smiled.   
  
Squall smiled back. "You're not gonna sleep away this whole vacation Princess. What do you say we go and see the town.?"   
  
"Hmmm, I'm too lazy."   
  
Squall grabbed her. "I'll carry you"   
  
She giggled as Squall caried her trough the room like a baby. Than she closed her eyes and rested against his chest, still covered in blankets. She felt how Squall softly put her back down on the ground. She smiled. As long as she was in the blankets, she wasn't going to wake up. Than Squall turned on the shower's cold water.  
  
...  
  
Rinoa and Squall walked trough FH with their arms in eachother. It was very late in the afternoon, since Squall had been forced to comfort Rinoa for a long time. But now they were happily strolling. They saw that people startled when they saw him, and Squall noticed that they all looked wondering at his hip. Where his gunblade used to be. They were wandering down the long stairs at the center of the big dish, when they suddenly heard a woman.   
  
"YOU!" They turned around and saw Flo coming at them.   
  
"What are YOU doing here? Bringing more problems? When will you SeeD's and soldiers get that FH is a place for peacefull people?"   
  
Squall and Rinoa exchanged glances and laughed. Flo was flabbergasted. Than, they both showed their hands. The rings with the lions weren't on their neck anymore. Rinoa smiled   
  
"We do realize that. That's why we came here."   
  
Flo mumbeled an apology and left. Squall and Rinoa went further down untill they arrived at the center. Rinoa and Squall walked on the edge of the 'island.' Rinoa smiled.   
  
"Remember when Irvine put that 'magazine' here Squall?"   
  
Squall nodded. He motioned her to sit down.   
  
"Yes, Rinoa, I remember it." He walked back to the building in the center and took something out of a box that seemed to be standing there by coincidense. Than, suddenly, the lights went on music started to play. Squall took the mike and started singing. It was horribly of key, but to Rinoa it sounded as the song from a nightingale. It was a sad song, it sounded pleading, yet had a strange... cold honesty that she had heard from Squall.  
  
If there is a tear on my face  
It makes me shiver to the bones  
It shakes me, Babe  
It's just a heartache that got in my eye   
And you know I never cry, I never cry   
Sometimes I drink more than I need   
Until the TV's dead and gone   
I may be lonely   
But I'm never alone   
And the night may pass me by   
But I'll never cry   
Take away, take away my eyes  
Sometimes I'd rather be blind   
Break a heart, break a heart of stone   
Open it up but don't you leave it alone   
'Cuz that's all I got to give you  
Believe me Babe, it ain't been used   
My heart's a virgin, its never been tried   
And you know I'll never cry   
And you know I'll never cry   
And you know I'll never cry   
Never cry, I'll never cry   
Break a heart, break a heart of stone   
'Cuz that's all I got to give you   
Believe me Babe, it ain't been used   
My heart's a virgin, its never been tried   
And you know I'll never cry   
Never cry I'll never cry   
  
The music stopped. Squall played with the microphone.   
  
"Well, that was it," he said.   
  
Rinoa was speechless. So she just rose and hugged him. Squall kissed her. He than let go of her and jumped of the side. He almost fell down on his face. The first time he had been here he had been pushed by Rinoa. Now he beckoned Rinoa down. She jumped down, and h caught her, The music started again. Rinoa's smile broadened in recognition.   
  
"Squall... that song... It's... it's the song of Balamb garden." Squall smiled and looked at her sideways while pointing up. There had been nothing to see, but Rinoa knew that was not what Squall had meant to say. She took the arm he offered and they started dancing. The stars were dangling for a long time already, and the musicians were long gone before Squall and Rinoa let go again. During that whole period no star fell down. Not that they would have noticed even if all stars and the moon would have fallen down at the same time.  
  
To be continued.  
The song is "I never Cry" of Alice Cooper. It mad eme think about Squall first time I heard it. And no, I'm not gonna make the whole story so mushy.  



	3. Sins of the father

Two weeks Rinoa and Squall were back on the train, tired, but happy. They had hired the a luxe coupe. Rinoa smiled. "I'm gonna buy a newspaper. I wonder what happened the last two weeks." Squall jsut nodded. 5 minutes later Rinoa entered the train again with the newspaper. She was chuckling. "You should read this Squall. I expected it, but it's still odd." Suddenly here eye caught something and her smile froze. She sat down, her face even paler than usual. "Rinoa...What...?" Rinoa didn't say anything. Squall took the paper from her still hands and browsed the articles. 'Eshtar asking more recources', 'Dollet taking back control of Radio tower', 'Irvine Kinneas to be headmaster of Balamb Garden?' Than Squall's face saw the article. He cursed silently. He ran towards the conductor. "We'd like to change destinations, could we buy tickets from you for Deling city?"  
  
...  
  
After a lot of yelling and threathening, they were allowed in the hospitalroom. The room was full of security agents. Deling ciry still was pandemonium after Seifer's dissapearance. 7 presidents had declared themselves leader in the last 5 months. The first 6 had all ended up dead, and the people weren't really xpecting the current president to hold on long. The army stayed out of it. The reason was that the Galbadian people had to show what they wanted, so the army could serve them. But now Deling city was in the grip of different militia's fighting eachother for control. Every public figure was in danger, and this one was now even more vulnerable. The security agents didn't trust them. Squall grimaced. Should they trust an ex-SeeD and a revolutionary leader? Even if the rebel was the daughter of their protegee? Rinoa ran towards the figure on the bed. Squall just looked. He looked so weak, with the machines checking his pulse and breath, clothed in a white hospital gown. He remembered how he had looked the first time they met him, to coordinate the assassination attempt. Squall had inmediately felt great respect for the man. He clearly was a no-nonsense figure, prepared to do anything for his country. He had looked so strong back than, the only one that could match Squall's own hard tone with equal icy stone. Squall remembered the article. A cleaner had found the general slumped over on his desk. First she thought he had just worked till he dropped, as he so often did. Than she seen the tube with tranqulizer pills. She had inmediately called an ambulance, and probably saved his life. Later investigation showed that he had been reading a letter from Balamb Garden. An invitation to the marriage of Rinoa Heartlilly and Squall Lionheart. That had happened 5 days ago.  
  
Rinoa knelt by the bed in tears. "Oh, daddy, you shouldn't have done it... Things like that happen. I'm still love you. I could never stop loving you." General Caraway tried to take of his oxygen mask. His weak hand couldn't even reach his neck however, so a nurse did it for him. Squall silently vowed that if he'd ever decide to kill himsel, he'd just shoot himself a bullet trough the head. Caraway spoke in difficult breaths. "No...Rinoa...I don't deserve... to call myself your... father... To busy... with Galbadia to... be at my daughter's wedding? ... I'm scum." He truned his head to Squall. "You... must not do...what I did... Don't let.. your work come between... you." Squall shook his head. "I resigned as a SeeD." the general nodded aprovingly.Rinoa took her father's powerless hand. "Dad. I haven't been a good daughter either. I treated you like you werea dog, and I started with the Timber resistance just to spite you. It was later that I started feeling connected with them" He shook his head "You had... every reason Rinoa... I killed your... mother with my working... She gave up her piano for me... and ... I gave up nothing.... I'm an egocentric...bastard" Rinoa shook her head weeping. "You'll... get over it... Rinoa. You don't lose... much" Rinoa just cried. Squall grabbed her shoulder. Rinoa looked at him. "Rinoa, can I speak with your father? Just the two of us?" Rinoa looked at him, starting to get angry, but when she saw the 'trust me' look in his eyes she walked out towards the bathroom.   
  
Squall looked at the security guys. No chance that they'd leave. But they were probably chosen on their ability to be deaf as well as fighting prowess. So he took a chair and sat down next to the bed. "I'm not going to lie to you about what happened. You know better than I that you were a bad father" Squall began. Caraway just nodded. "But you think that killing yourself will make anything better?" "She has you now... I missed my chance... I'm just an egocentric... old man." Squall shook his head. "It's never to late." he said. "You're just afraid. Rinoa needs you general. We all need others. And I need you too. I still know so little about Rinoa." Caraway was silent. "I know how it is general. Back when we were out in space, I thought I had failed to save her. I should have grabbed her and fored her to keep still. But I failed. When I went into the escape pod, I thought my life was over. I still don't know how I came back and asked Ellone for help. I was already thinking of how I would kill myself. And earlier, when Rinoa was in a coma. I should have left her somewhere safe, but I just took her with me, and than she fell into that coma. I was fighting for three hours in the training center, hoping that I would make a fatal mistake, purposefully not using my strongest attacks against a T-Rexaur. When I had to go to the infirmary to mend a wound so I could continue, we were in Fisherman's horizon, I looked at her and imagined what she would say if she woke up and I was dead. Than I decided to just go to Ellone with her." The general sighed. "I'd like... some time to think... Can you come back later?... I... need to be alone." Squall nodded and left. "Of course general." "Squall..." the man said at his back. "yes general?" "Call me dad" Squall smiled with half his mouth. "Sure dad, if you'll call me son." Of course... son." Squall left the room as the oxygen mask was refitted into place. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the man had gone back to sleep. Rinoa would need a lot of comforting. Squall smiled. He wasn't good at lying to console people, but he was glad he wouldn't have to do that today when he'd say that her, their dad would be fine.  



	4. City in strife. 1

They walked in the village, arm in arm. Each of them had two suitcases in their hand for their first nights. There would be a lot of work to do renovating the old place. They had both agreed on this place. Rinoa had proposed it. They had called the mayor and asked whether the house was still free. The answer was that noone had lived there since the previous inhabitant had died. The neighbouring house had been empty too, but had recently been occupied. Rinoa and Squall had inmediately bought the house with bar. And now they had arrived.   
  
...  
  
It had been two months since Rinoa's father had attempted to kill himself. The general had asked to be alone for 5 days, to think. Rinoa hardly slept during this whole period, and if she slept it was lightly with many sobs. Squall had just managed to keep himself from suggesting tranquilizers. Instead he had calmly told her that he was quite sure her dad, their dad, would be fine. Rinoa had felt reassured for a while, knowing that Squall would only say such things if he was pretty sure, but she'd start sobbing half an hour later. Squall had hardly slept either, sitting next to Rinoa drinking coffee and staring down the personell that might suggest something like a hotel. It took him till the third day to fall asleep, and he somehow managed to make noone notice it, sitting in his usual slump so his eyes were covered. It wasn't untill a nurse noticed he hadn't drunk his coffee she reported it, and it resulted in all noisy traffic avoiding that corridor to keep 'that cheeky brat', as they called him when he was out of earshot, from waking up.  
  
Than in late in the evening of the fifth day Caraway had terrorized all the docters by getting out of his bed, walking to Rinoa, kissing her on both her cheeks, congratulating her with her marriage, and shaking Squll's hand. He than excused himself for not supplying an adequate wedding present on time, and assured her he would remedy it. He than demanded his uniform. A doctor had arrived at the scene assuring General Caraway that he wasn't fit yet to fullfill his job and should go back to bed. General Caraway had replied that his bed couldn't be spared. As the docter started to form the obvious question general Caraway had hit him hard in the nose. A shaking attendant had arrived with the green uniform. Squall had remembered how nervous the Forest owls had been, terrified to wake 'Princess'. He looked at his side and saw Rinoa beaming with pride. As the unforunate docter was carried away Caraway had taken over command over that part of the hospital, demanding a conference room to be set up in the hall of the hospital and a mobile phone, laced with threaths of bodily harm in case of failiure. Nurses and attendants had routed in a full panic, begging other patients if they could borrow their mobile phone untill they found one. Caraway had retreated in his room, sending away the bodyguards, who needed only a short order. He had than closed the door, not needing to forbid anyone to enter the room, since the personell would rather jump trough a window than enter that room without his order. Squall and Rinoa couldn't hear what was said, but they could hear Caraway was yelling a lot. He had than left the room and smiled at Rinoa, commented that she looked like something the dog dragged in. (Angelo was with a friend) and decided that they'd go eat something while the 'lazy buggers that called themselves officers' would arrive. During the following meal Squall was subjected to questioning. Squall answered short and to the point as usual. He did however avoid answering with the typical 'whatever' When a mortified nurse came to tell him his officers had arrived Caraway told her to tell them to wait a bit. Caraway finished his meal. and drank a cup of coffee. Than he excused himself and went for the main hall of the hospital, where the officers were waiting. Squall and Rinoa were told to come with him.  
  
The general had entered the conference room, allowing the officers, who looked very tired, to sit down. He had given his orders, and the officers had left, giving their own orders by their own phones. 7 minutes later whole batailons of soldiers were hauled out of their bed. 10 minutes after that they were all ready in uniform and armed and heard their orders. 12 minutes later Deling City was full of soldiers. Caraway himself had gone to the radio station to give a speech.  
  
"Citizens of Galbadia. This is General Caraway, commander of the Galbadian armed forces speaking. My apologies for the rough wake up call, and the soldiers outside, but things have run out of hand. Untill now, I have not allowed the soldiers under my command to interfere in the battle, since the Galbadian people have to choose what the military does, and not the other way around. It has become clear to me however, that elections are made impossible by militia that are using force to gain control. I serve Galbadia and I will end this. For this I will need to use some measures that may remind the elder of you about the first measures of resident Deling. I guarantee that these measures will not last longer than one week. The measures are: a curfew from 21.00 to 8.00, authority of any Galbadian soldier to hold someone in custody for this week without pressing official charges, and the authority to use lethal force against groups they deem threathening. I advise you to stay in your house as much as possible. This broadcast will be repeated every hour. I wish everyone much courage for these troubled times and bid you goodnight...." HE turned off the mike and turned to Rinoa.  
  
"There, the die has been cast. We'll see what happens now."  
  
...  
  
  
The grey Galbadian cars blocked tthe main streets, and fully armed soldiers were everywhere. They didn't have to wait long. The years of tyranny, the short period of complete domination by Adel and later Seifer, and the following anarchy had giveen rise to many small militia who didn't allow for any other oppinion than their own. The GAMMA (Galbadians Against Magic Militia Attackgroup) who wished to ban all magic. the Knights of the Round Table, who wanted a sorceress, Adel, Rinoa, Edea, whoever, to become ruler again. The Young Revolutionaries, youngsters awed by Seifer, who wanted nothing else than making Seifer leader,. wherever he was. The Moon Cult, who worshipped the moon and the monsters coming from it. The Loyalists, who followed Ronald Deling, son of the murdered ex-president. A group that called itself SeeD,and proclaimed to be from Balamb Garden with orders to take control of the city, and got quite a lot of support. They erupted from their rooms and gathered in mobs faster than the soldiers could disperse them. That would be to easy. The first confrontation was in the shopping mall, where Loyalists started throwing stones and shooting at the soldiers. The soldiers were better equipped and trained, but were ordered to use non-lethal methods if they could. With constant throwing of fire, ice and lightning between them and the group they kept them at bay, slowly starting to encircle them. People that succeeded in breaking trough and attacked were arrested or shot. Some soldiers went down too however. In different parts of the city battles started too. Some fires had started already, and terrified citizens ran on the street and were sometimes killed in the storm of battle. The Cult had let loose monsters they had captured and added to the chaos. The Knights and GAMMA had encountered eachother and were fighting bitterly now. Some of Deling jr. soldiers used to be guards of his father, and were dressed the same way as Caraway's soldiers, adding to the confusion. The Young Revolutionaries had stormed the palace, killing soldiers there. They rose a white flag with a red cross and claimed Galbadia to be under Seifer's control now. Current President Graving was hanged under the flag.   
  
Squall heard the reports in the hospital and remained seated. Things weren't going that good. If the fighting wouldn't stop soon there wouldn't be anything left to fight for. Rinoa rose from her seat.   
  
"I can't just sit here while this city is destroyed!"  
  
Squall sighed.  
  
"What do you care about this city? If they grow weaker, Timber will become independant for sure, even if our dad has to run"  
  
Rinoa shook her head. "My dad never runs Squall, not while Galbadia depends on him, and don't forget, I grew up in Deling city. I AM a Galbadian. This is my home."  
  
Squall nodded. He took the key fom the chain around his neck, where his ring used to be. He went to the reception where they had left their luggage. Between the suitcases was one long box with the same image on it as his ring. He unlocked the box and opened it. The sword shone it's usual blue glow. Squall took it and made a few practice slices. 'Still got it, I'll probably never lose it.' he though with a touch of bitterness. He saw Rinoa, who had already gathered her Angel Wings. They were ready to fight. Ready to kill. Squall thought about the survival chances. Without a GF? Slim at best. But this was Rinoa's home, and so as precious to him as Garden. He went for the door. He walked outside and saw two dead soldiers on the ground. A thought struck him. He turned over the bodies and ripped off the grey helm He than tossed it at Rinoa.  
  
"These things contain magic Rinoa. Put it on. You can't draw with it, but you can use the third level elementals and curaga's."  
  
Rinoa took the helm and put it on. Squall did the same. Only their mouths were visible.  
  
"You look silly Squall."  
  
"Whatever..."  
  
They ran across the streets, avoiding the dead and ignoring the wounded, though Rinoa stopped now and than to cast a curaga on someone who looked particulary worse for wear. Squall thought hard while running. What to do first? Well, the loyalists had been the first to attack, so they could might start as well on them. What could they do? He snapped his fingers.   
  
"We've got to get Deling, if we take HIM out or even better, take him hostage, the loyalists will surrender. But where is he?"  
  
Rinoa's face contoured in contempt. "I know him. He's a spoiled brat. Can't live for 5 seconds without the most decadent of luxuries. It was quite a shock for him when his father died." Her face softened. "I've read some newspapers. He has remained hidden untill Seifer was out of the picture. Than he started to look for support, and found it in some officers and people who had been high under his father, but lost it all in the wars. He was residing in the palace untill 9 days ago, keeping 'president' Graving imprisoned in his room, but 9 days ago, he took all his soldiers and dissapeared."  
  
Squall thought. Luxury kid. 9 days ago? Than, the quarter fell.  
  
"9 days ago? But of course! He's even more arrogant than his father!"  
  
He beckoned Rinoa to follow him and started to run.  
  
5 minutes and three Cultmembers and a monster later, they arrived at their destination.   
  
Rinoa gaped. "My father's mansion? Why that little..."   
  
Squall brought a finger to his mouth and jumped over the wall. he had been right. The mansion was full of uniformed soldiers. No soldiers of Caraway had been ordered to go here, so it had to be Loyalists. The door was heavily guarded. No way they could get trough that without GF's.. Rinoa silently signaled him to follow her. They silently sneaked trough the bushes untill they reached a piece of wall, looking like all the other pieces of wall. Rinoa pushed against it, and the wall turned around it's axis, showing an entrance.  
  
"I've grown up here, remmeber?" Rinoa whispered.  
  
The entrance went towards the kitchen. Rinoa pushed the wall back into place and they silently walked on. Suddenly a cook walked around the corner and saw them. Squall was ready to jump but Rinoa held him back with one hand and put her finger to her mouth with the other. The cook ran towards Rinoa and kissed her on the cheeks whispering.  
  
"I'm so glad your back Rinoa. That little brat is ruining your father's house. You must stop him. And he gave my chocolate surprise cake I made under protest to a pet Geezard he has. The pig!"   
  
Rinoa smiled. "He's also destroying the city, but don't worry, we'll put a stop to it."  
  
The man smiled gratefully and left. Rinoa and Squall sneaked further untill they saw the door to the study. Two soldiers were guarding it. He brought his hands to his visor and signaled Rinoa to do the same. He than pushed a button on the helm and concentrated. At the same time one of the soldiers erupted into fire, the other froze solid. They were killed instantly. Even without GF's Squall and Rinoa were excellent magic users. Rinoa ran towards the door and, with strength one would not expect in her lithe form, kicked in the door.  
  
"DELING! I want to talk to you!" Deling and the two officers were surprised and terrified. Squall took advantadge of this and cut down the two officers were they stood. Deling grabbed a gun however and aimed it for Squall's head. he wa spulling the trigger as the winged projectile hit his hand. He dropped the weapon and cursed.  
  
"DAMN you witch. My hand is bleeding!"  
  
Rinoa glared at him, took him by collar and pushed him against the wall.   
  
"You steal MY father's house while he's ill, terrorize MY friends in it and destroy MY city and you think you can afford some insults? THINK AGAIN Deling." She put him back in the chair Now Let's begin, serious negotiations shall we? How about an order to your 'loyalists' to surrender?"   
  
Deling glared defiantly "Never, you..."  
  
He stopped because of the feeling of cold metal to his neck.   
  
Squall'svoice sounded neutral and uncaring. "We can also cut your head off and show it to your followers if you like? Maybe that's even a better idea."  
  
Deling gulped. "On second thought..."  
  
Rinoa smiled.  
  
To be continued. 


	5. City in strife. 2

They were cutting their way trough a mob. Most loyalists had dispersed in the meantime, after they had paraded with him trough Caraway's mansion with Squall's sword in his neck. They had than brought him to the radiostation, where Caraway and his staff were stationed. Caraway had laughed when they had shown up. Clearly accepting that his daughter was in the thick of battle. "If these officers would've learned ANYTHING in their fancy schools about urban warfare, I'd let them handle the details and get down myself." When he heard that Deling had been using, wasting, his house, his eyes went a little harder. Squall had a feeling Deling would soon be wishing Squall had beheaded him. They had than left and decided to look for the leaders of the Cult of the Moon. They ran into a battle between soldiers and Knights, and the soldiers seemed to be losing, pressurized by the deathdefying knights. Rinoa inmediately had jumped in, cutting the head of a knight clean off with her Angel Wings. A soldier had lifted his arm to cast fira on her but had suddenly found a Galbadian soldier's sword in his belly. And so Squall and Rinoa had joined the battle  
  
Squall had fallen back to the psychologiacal trick that his old fighting teacher had told him. Never see hostile people, just see the threat. Don't kill people, neutralize threaths. In Squall's mindseye there was hardly blood showing. There were merely targets with target areas, dangerous objects and many attacking forces coming his away. Sometimes when he thought about it, he doubted whether this was something he should do, stucking his hand in the sand over all those dead. He had never considered how many monsters and people he had killed, untill he had felt Tonberry's fire. It had felt like all his 'neutralized targets' had come back and had been clawing at his legs. He had fainted back than, unable to stand the pain, and it hadn't been the last time. But how else could he remain concentrated when his word just ripped trough one knight's heart, while another knight was sitting on his knees, holding his guts in with one hand and weakly raising his mace in the other. How was he to ignore the pleas of a dying soldier begging for a moment of his time, that he couldn't spare, for a curaga. He dodged a Thundaga that had been coming at him, but felta Blizzara chilling his back. In the moment he stood still, a knight armed with a knife lunged at him, making him fall. The man put his knee on Squall's right arm andstabbed at him. Squall couldn't get his sword in position, and he couldn't use magic. He raised his left arm, and grunted as flesh ripped. The man raised the knife again. Squall's arm slid down powerlessly. All soldiers were already fighting for their lives, and losing. So this was it? After defeating Ultimecia he would die on a Galbadian street with a kinfewound trough his chest? And leave Rinoa? And Squall felt fear.  
  
Rinoa had been in the back as much as she could, her projectile slicing trough the enemy ranks and returning. She was capable of dispatching the one soldier that could break trough to her, but she couldn't fight dozens of people at once. Squall was much better in that. She looked at him, just as Squall was overwhelmed. Her eyes grew big with fright. She felt the shock in her arm telling her the Angel Wings had returned to her wrist. She aimed them at the area where she had seen Squall fall. She couldn't see him. Than she saw a blood soaked nice with a piece of black fabric on it. She shot. The hand with bloody knife tumbled as it left thearm. The man raised in pain. Rinoa tore of the Galbadian helm. The knife had been red. Squall had fallen. She felt the power flow within her. Sorcery. For a second it looked that she had big wings at her shoulders. She pointed at the man. Her voice was ice. "Death" The man didn't scream. He just fell down. Some people looked at her in wonder. She didn't care. She just pointed to another person and repeated the word. That person too, fell down. The knights now started to back down. The soldiers initially tried to take advantadge but than followe the gazes of their opponents and looked in shock as their general's daughter walked slowly forward. Killing people word by word on every step. Than a knight jumped out of the croud and kneeled before her.  
  
"Forgive us, you highness. We didn't know"  
  
Rinoa pointed at a point before the man and the ground melted.The man didn't move an inch  
  
"Please your Majesty. We are at your command. You need not fight us."  
  
A second piece of stone in front of the man molt. It was awfully close. The man's eyes filled with tears of regret and terror.  
  
"We only want to be your knights!"  
  
"The job's taken"  
  
Rinoa stopped her hand and turned around. Squall was getting up after getting off the now one-handed man's corpse. His chin, helm and suit was covered in blood, and his left arm was limp. Rinoa inmediately casted 3 curaga's on him, healing Squall's arm completely after the first one. Than she hugged him. She tried to kiss him but bumped her head on the helm. She grumbeled something and turned to the Knights.  
  
"You will obey my orders?"  
  
The knights raised their swords. "TO THE DEATH"  
  
Rinoa nodded. "Than you shall obey the orders my father gives. When he speaks, consider it like it's me speaking. And fight the other militia."  
  
The Knights roared in appreciation of getting orders from a sorceress. The fight had stopped and people started healing eachother. Squall took his helm off. Rinoa hugged him again. She whispered in his ear.  
  
"I was so scared."  
  
Squall whispered back.  
  
"... Me...me too."  
  
His face was as stoic as ever. If it wasn't for the blood he might as well have been reading a book. But Rinoa knew that Squall wouldn't fake feelings. He'd hide them. Squall broke the embrace.  
  
"Come on. There's more fighting."   
.  
They ran further, followed by the soldiers and the knights. The soldiers had decided that they'd recognize the couple as their leader too. They ran trough the city as a spear. A few Cultists with monsters were easily dispatched, and fifty GAMMA soldiers scattered when they were bombarded with magic attacks The soldiers had long since stopped trying to take prisoners. This weren't riots anymore. This was civil war. . Some knights they encountered started to charge them untill one of their knights explaine the situation. Squall had whispered Rinoa to go with some knights and soldiers to get more knights to their side . Rinoa had done that. She hadn't complained, realizing that her city needed her. She had merely traced her finger over his helm, following the scar underneath, and had whispered him to be carefull. Now they were walking in a street. Squall saw almost a hunderd corpses on the ground. Young Revolutionaries. Some had their weapons sheated. Squall saw that many of them had been hit in the back or the side.  
  
"HALT. Assume a defensive formation."  
  
The soldiers inmediately obeyed. The knights hesitated. After a glare of Rinoa they held their weapons ready. 4 seconds of silence passed. Than the enemy arrived. From two side streets 6 dozen armed men and women. Dressed in darkbblue clothes, mimicking the clothes of Garden students. 'SeeDs'. The knights and soldier's loosened a barrage of magic and projectile weapons, killing some soldiers, but not nearly as much as the GAMMA soldiers had lost. Squall recognized the training He had followed it himself. The ambush was straight out of the books he had read. Where would these people have gotten their training? Than he saw two familiar faces. And two familiar uniforms. The man wore a grey suit with blue at the shoulders. The woman wore a grey suit and a short grey skirt. Rodan Antilaz and Delina Findora. Two students that had been failed their last possible examn at 21. They had left inmediately after the examn however, without returning their GF's. In the meantime killing two SeeD's by surprise and stealing their uniforms. It had happened when Squall was 15. It had been a scandal. Cid had put a bounty and a promise for a raise in rank for their capture or even their heads. Their pictures had been everywhere. And now they were here. Rodan with his scythe, and Delina with her crossbow. And they were running their own 'Garden'  
  
As the two battlelines ran into eachother Squall saw the students had been trained well. Both the ones that fought in close quarters as the ones who fought with missile weapons as the magic users. But than, Rodan and Delina HAD been good. Rodan was an excellent fighter with his scythe and seemed to have a natural resistance to elemental attacks. He could have been much, but he was arrogant and had a cruel streak. Every time again he had been kicked out of the examn because he had not been able to control his sadism. He had known he had blown his last chance when his instructor had seen him kicking a wounded Timber soldier. (The contract back than had been for Galbadia against some rebel soldiers) That instructor had been one of the two that were killed. Delina was a crackshot with her crossbow, a master in using magic and had a high endurance for wounds. HEr drawbacks had been her impatience and her hedonism. She had accidentally wounded a student while trying to shoot an enemy behind him. Later witnesses claimed that she had been drunk at the time, sipping every few minutes from the bottle of whisky at her side. She was sober now, firing bolts, and not caring if it accidentally hit one of her students because he had moved between her and her target. Rodan was fgrinning wildly as he slashed up soldiers, revelling in their screams. Squall casted a Thundaga in front of him and slashed his way trough the rest of the enemies that formed the battleline. He felt a disgust for the pair, that soiled the name of SeeD with their murderous rampage, eventhough he was no SeeD anymore. He went for Delina. She saw him and swiveled her crossbow at him and fired. Squall didn't even bother to dodge it or defend. It was a clear miss. He reached her and cutted her in her belly. He didn't feel the sickening yet reassuring feeling of innards being cut open, but the strange toughness that his own skin had shown. Of course. Delina had her GF equipped. His sword leaved a thin red line on her belly. Her fist slammed in his face. He flew back. Though Delina was frail she had junctioned magic in her strength.  
  
Squall got up. He heard a chuckle behind him. He raised his sword. Sparks flew from the Lionheart. His arm strained and Squall grimaced. He had magic junctioned in his strength too. Squall would have paid good money for a GF right now. He jumped up. Rodan smiled at him.   
  
"Well, well, well... seems like there's someone worth the air they breath after all. I'm gonna have fun with you"  
  
"Whatever" Squall said and slashed at him.  
  
Squall had a hard time. While the scythe was cumbersome Rodan had his speed improved. Squall had to jump and duck to keep his body in one piece. He slashed back, and got in some hits, but eventhough the lionheart was sharper than a razor, his arms just missed the strength to pierce the flesh. He jumped back just too late and the scythe slashed his leg. He hissed. He realized he was losing this battle. He needed a plan. He took a glance to the soldiers. They were holding out, but they couldn't help him. The only reason that he wasn't dead yet was that Rodan had the tendency to fight in a fixed pattern and become predictable. Squall knew he was the better fighter but he didn't have a GF. He rolled beneath a vicious slice at his head and saw Delina looking at the fight, enjoying it inmensely. He had a plan. He backed away, slowly moving towards her. He knew she wouldn't be shooting him in the back. She was having to much fun watching her partner kill him off. Squall casted a Blizagga on Rodan. It paralyzed him for merely a second but that was enough. As he felt the ice crack behind him he ran towards Delina who braced herself for the coming slash. The smile didn't leave her lips however, untill she felt his on hers. There was absolutely no love in that kiss. Squall would have bitten if he thought his teeth could draw blood. He really loathed her. But this was the only way to get them to act his way. He jumped back and started running to the side, limping a little. As he had expected Rodan went Berserk and flew at him with his scythe. Squall braced for impact. He hoped he had gambled right, if not he was dead. Suddenly he saw the scythe that was coming down at him halting a second and coming down with less power. When it reached him it was still powerfull enough to press his sword back and make a cut in his side. Squall saw the bolt. He had hoped it would have killed the man, but it had only struck him in his underarm. Rodan tried to remove it, but couldn't bear the pain. His scythe hung useless in his hand.  
  
"DELINA, LOOK WHERE YOU'RE BLOODY SHOOTING!"  
  
She sneered. "YOU look where you're walking. But don't worry, I won't miss him this time"  
  
She reached for another bolt. Squall didn't wait however and ran towards her, his leg screaming for mercy. She was about to let the bolt fly as his sword caught the weapon and took it from her hands. Squall put his hand to his helm and spoke.  
  
"Firaga"  
  
The crossbow exploded into hunderds burning or molten pieces. Delina punched Squall in his side, just on the wound, he buckled over and she kicked him against his chin. He started to get up. He didn't like to fight unarmed or wounded opponents, but in this case he doubted whether he would win even without it. He grasped his sword and prepared to charge her, when he heard the sound of magic behind him.   
  
"Confuse"  
  
Squall just ahd the time to say "Damn" before the magic hit him. His thoughts started to tumble. He couldn't focus his eyes on anything. Different sounds, thoughts and sights demanded his attention and made him make involuntarely movements. Where was Rinoa. He had send her away. He had to save her from space! No he had done that. He heard something about people discussing. "Seeing who could summon his GF the fastest." Squall didn't care. He had to solve this problem. Ultimecia. He swiped his sword thinking of her. Seifer, was he still his enemy or not? Fire erupted within his thoughts and Squall vaguely took notice a building started burning. That wasn't important now. Why were those two people laughing? They were irritating him? Maybe they were enemies? But what if they were not. The world was so hard to understand. What was rright? Maybe he should hurt himself. Pain might bring clarity. Everything was so complicated.  
  
Than an instinct in Squall flared up. If the world is complicated, simplify it. Squall had a feeling those two figures were targets. He erased any other thought. He and the target. The rest was illusion. He had picked his target. He had to damage it a lot, so it would be neutralized. He said the first words that came to mind.  
  
"Renzokuken"  
  
He stormed at the figure, the pain he felt in his leg and side was background noise. Irrelevant. As he felt his arms finding their way on instinct to the good positions his mind cleared as he cut further and further. He noticed it was a woman he was slashing at. The name came back to him. Delina. The memories came back at him. His attack slowed. He gathered his strength and slammed her a last time. She was bleeding seriously, Squall saw, but not dead yet. She sneered at him. That was hard as one slowly loses control of one's own body while summoning a GF. Squall gritted his teeth. He thought of what Galbadians would say in years to come. Talking about the attempt of SeeD to take over the city. His sword started to glow again.   
  
"Lionheart"  
  
He ran towards her and hit her in the under her chin. As she flew in the sky he jumped after her. The world simplified again to accomodate only him and his target. When he saw everything clear again he was on the ground and heard something fall beside him. It was a head, in front of him felt an arm. The pieces fell down. Squall looked at Rodan. There was a deep sadness in his eyes. But he didn't have enough control of his body anymore to do anything.but look sad. Than his body dissapeared. Squall tried to remember what the name was of the stolen GF. He opened his eyes. It seemed like a robot with a big cannon to his right arm. He could hardly think straight anymore. The confuse spell had released his grip, but his mind was still sluggish. Suddenly he felt that there were lots of sharp objects coming his way. He weakly tried to defend himself, but it was to no avail. The nails, ninja-stars, glasshards and other sharp things ripped at him. The pain started to overwhelm him. A particularry big piece knocked of his helm. The magic was gone. He protected his eyes with his punctured arm. Than the storm of pain stopped. The things were gone, but the wounds stayed. Squall tried to keep awake, but being awake meant pain. Unconciousness was so peacefull. His survival instinct was muted by pain and lingering effects of the mind-affecting spells. Squall fell over backwards.  
  
Rodan slowly walked up to the one that killed his love. He didn't want pain anymore. He just wanted vengeance. He raised his left hand with the scythe. Suddenly, he felt another hand grasping it. HE looked back and saw one of his students holding his hand.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Excuse me sir. But isn't that Squall Lionheart? the famous SeeD?"  
  
Rodan raised his eyebrows. The fight was concluded. The soldiers had retreated, the knights had all fought to the death. Rodan hadn't been in Deling city when the famous SeeD had attacke the sorceress. The descriptions were vague and always overrated. Could this be him. He was Delina's killer. That's all what counted to him.   
  
"No of course not. Not when I got my mission in Balamb Garden."  
  
One of his soldiers checked the bleeding and barely breathing body of the SeeD.   
  
"Hmmm, a wallet with no identification. It could be him. I don't know for sure. Never seen him myself. Hey what's this?"  
  
He took a small piece of paper.  
  
"It looks like something for a final exam. ... I, Cid Kramer hereby award Squall Lionheart the tirle of SeeD rank 5? And all numbers. HEY, this is Squall. This is his graduation proof."  
  
He looked oddly at Rodan. "Why have you never shown yours Rohan?"  
  
Rodan started to sweat. "I ... threw it away."   
  
The SeeD's started to circle him. "What do you mean?" The whispers started to become louder. Rodan cursed. Lying had been Delina's strong point. He stuttered for an explanation. The eyes of his soldiers turned hostle. He was too weak now to fight them. He tried to order them to fall back in line  
, but his voice seemed to lose power. He than tried to run, but someone tripped him. He fell on the ground.  
  
"Stay away. I am your senior officer..You must obey me.... NO"  
  
...  
  
Sqall slowly woke up. He licked his lips. He tasted Phoenix down. Than he felt the reassuring tingling of a Cura spell. He opened his eyes. A man was looking down on him. He raised his head. The first thing he noticed was a corpse hanging by his neck. Rodan? But how? The man answered.  
  
"I realize this may sound strange sir. But we are at your orders."  
  
Squall just nodded. Explanations would come later.  
  
To be continued. 


	6. City in strife 3

Blood.  
  
Endless treams of blood seamed to flow on the main street. Only two parties were left now, as militia had thrown in their lot with one of the sides. On one side you had the Galbadian military, the Knights of the Round Table and the 'SeeDs' On the other side were the GAMMA, the young revolutionaries and the Mooncult. Loyalists had stopped fighting or had joined one of the parties. Squall was leading. He grimaced. Some people followed him because the general trusted him, some because Rinoa trusted him and some because he was a SeeD. Eventhough he had tried to explain to them that he had resigned they had decided that if he was good enough to get trough the exams he was SeeD enough for them. He had searched for Rinoa and had found her, with more than three hunderd knight. They stood side by side by the Galbadian soldiers, looking with paranoid gazes at them. Angelo had been there too, with his long hairs dripping with blood, but mostly on his jaws and mostly of others. It had takenquite a while for RInoa to convince him not to attack the knights. It had taken her also time to convinc ethe knights not to atatck Angelo. When Squall had asked how Angelo could escape the house of her friends Rinoa had shaken her head sadly. The only reason she hadn't cried was because she was drained and way to busy.  
  
The battle had started small, with both sides sending in reinforcements untill it had been clear it would be the decisive battle. Squall looked at the presidential palace. It was eriously damaged. It could be called a miracle that it was still standing. He decapitated a Cultist, but was hit in the shoulder by an arrow.He cursed. He was letting his attention slip. But he was tired. He had hoped to get some rest after the honeymoon, and untill now he had gotten 5 days with little sleep and a whole night of fighting. And curaga's healed, but they drew energy. A shadowy beast sliced at Squall's side and ripped open the skin. Squall grunted and ran the beast trough, dodging the Thundaga it casted while dying. Keep your head on the fighting Squall! He felt how he was losing blood way to fast so brought his head to the helm. Only three Curaga's left. He pulled out the arrow lodged in his shoulder and casted. The pain faded, but Squall felt his mind and body growing tired. He dashed forward again, cutting another sewer dwelling monster clean in two. Something fell on his head. It was a Zubat, with charachteristic wound of Rinoa's shooting star. He cut down another Cultist and risked a look behind his back. Rinoa was standing there, shootinh her shooting star, casting a spell and catching the star as it came back. While every break of the front that attacked her met with the best fighters the knights, her well aimed shots made her a prime target of spells and projectiles. If it wasn't for the human shield of the knights she would have been long dead. Squall turned back. He noticed his battleline was slowly moving back and took a few steps also. They were losing.   
  
He suddenly felt a stomp against the side of his helm. Someone with a sling had homed in on him. Lucky he wore that helmet. He casted a blizzaga on the shooter and inmediately focused on the battle again. The 'SeeD' next to him fell down with a trident trough his chest. Squall took advantadge of the man's lack of defense and slit his throat, but was than hit himself with a mace. He grunted and took a slice at the man but his attack merely shattered the shield the man carries. He than felt a sting as a slender woman scratched him with a knife. He felt the wound burning. Poison. He knew he had an antidote in his pockets, but there was no time to use it. He ran the woman through while holding the hand of the man carrying the mace with his other hand. The other hand of the man, now empty, didn't waste time however and hit Squall in the face. Squall released his grip, the mace was raised and than dropped as a soldier slid his sword between the man's ribs. Other men came too however, and Squall felt the poison weakening him. This was not good. He suddenly heard Rinoa yell. But couldn't clearly hear what it was because of the sound of battle. He than noticed a strange feeling looking up he saw Angelo hovering in front of the moon. That was one of the strangge things with that dog. Squall didn't know whether the dog was magical itself or it just reacted with Rinoa's sorceress power, but he felt his own body shimering. An axeswipe at him passed right trough him. Squall looked to his left. The Galbadian soldier looked just as amazed at the sabre trough his stomach as the man holding the sabre. Squall hurriedly took the antidote bottle and gulped it down. The posson receded. He'd have to make the most of this. Angelo landed next to him and flew the axeman at the throat, weapons and magic having as little effect on hima s they had on Squall. Squall started carving up enemies too, inmensely consentrating on going all out offensive. The soldier understood what was happening and started too. As the other line understood what was happening they sslowly started to retreat. Squall advanced and cut down people as they were trying to move back. Squall didn't take notice of them being human, let alone their willingness to fight. They were enemies. The Galbadian soldier clearly had a harder time. The whole enemy battleline was receding now, as many soldiers were outflanked because of the hole. Squall ran forward now, killing two with every stap, and soon reached the group of archers where he saw the lumps of ice that once were the guy with the sling. Some people didn't grasp what was going on and tried to attack him, but he cut them down. A scream held Squall's attention. The Galbadian soldier had burst into flames and scremed until a bullet put him out of his misery. They had run out of invincibility. Squall started to retreat to his lines, but was rapidly surrounded. He cursed. Never leave your battleline or you'll be surrounded as fat as the enemy will kill you once you are. First lesson of fighting in ranks. He had fought in small groups too much. Angelo growled too. Though few soldiers dared to approach the dog, that now looked more like Cerberus than his usual 'good dog' The blood probably had something to do with that. Still the dog had been wounded too. Squall brought his hand to his helm. Tow curaga's, one for Angelo, one for him. He casted it while the enemy still was cautious and thought about throwing the helm away. No, it was usefull for protection. It might buy him a few seconds.  
  
Rinoa saw the circle drawing closer and closer. She screamed at her 'squires' to save him, and they tried, but they couldn't get through. Rinoa tried to summon her sorceress powers, while she still couldn't control what she could cast she could at least summon it at will. Usually.She tried to grasp the trancelike state, but she might as well try to grasp a greased eel. She defaulted back to panic. She screamed. She saw a yellow circle spreading and parting several enemies in two. Fated Circle. That had to mean he was weakening. She jumped in a squires neck and saw Squall and Angelo. Bothe were blooded and at their last power. Squall looked at her and signalled her to pull back. Than the militia were upon them. Rinoa screamed and casted a thundaga at a particularry strong man. She than felt how she was falling back. She looked down and saw the squire under her clutching a bolt. She than lost her balane and fell in the arms of the squire behind her. She leaned against his chest and let her tears flow.  
  
General Caraway looked through the window of the radio tower at the battle far away. Reports came streaming in, asking for reinforcements. The answer was known to the people at the radio already so Caraway didn't need to be bothered. There were no reinforcements anymore. Caraway turned away from the scene. He sighed. Should he have attacked later? Sooner? Should he have avoided such a big confrontation? Thousand questions sprang up in his mind. He snorted. This was useless. What he had done was what had seemed the best. Sometimes you just had bad luck. Rinoa. He had to win so he could give her her marriagegift. He had known he couldn't have kept her out of battle. She never liked to let things go their course. He smiled. At least she had taken one of the few virtues he had. But she was as pretty as Julia and just as idealistic. As he though about Julia he clenched his fists. It had taken the foolish capitain he had been months before he had reailized it. That he was merely a sanctuary for her broken dreams. Simply a substitute for her first love. So he had given his love to Galbadia. But he shouldn't have treated Rinoa like he did. IF they would survive this... everything would change. If they'd survive The die had been cast. He'd see how this would end. He looked trough the other window to the east. The sun was beginning to rise, he could see it's glow in the distance. If they'd lose this would be the last sunrise he would see, so he decided he might as well enjoy it. The sun looked strange in the gloom. Brighter as if... what the heck was that? Something was coming from the east, something big.  
  
It started as a humming sound, slowly growing stronger. The combatants didn't hear it untill they noticed it looming aboove them.. Than, they saw small figures coming out of tt and they saw the figures coming down, all standing on something and followed by a flame and a trail of smoke. Than they heard the scream. "HEEEEEERE IIIIII COOOOOME" it came from the fastest figure. It appeard to be a blond man with blue pants, a red-black shirt and tatoos on the sides of his face. 10 meters above the ground he jumped of the T-board, that flew back to Garden, and landed foot first on a Cultist. He smiled. "SeeD and Zell has arrived, so if I were you I'd give up now." A GAMMA member took a swipe at him, but Zell calmly elbowed him, cracking several of the man's ribs. An arrow flew at him and hit him in the chest. He laughed and took the arrow, that had only scratched him, and threw it on the ground, so sparks flew at all sides. As other SeeD's landed at all sides it didn't take long for the militia's to understand that the tables had turned, and most of them fled, using the alleys that had been left open deliberatly for just that purpose by the mercenaries. 25 minutes later they attcked the presidential palace and took care of the last traces of resistance.  
  
30 minutes after that Garden had landed next to the city, and everyone was busy putting out fires and taking care of the wounded. Rinoa was sitting on the sidewalk, still surounded by her guard. She heard a familiar voice. "Rinoa, you're here. I'm so glad you're allright" Rinoa raised her head. "I'm not... Quistis... Squall.... he... he...was surounded..." Quistis gasped. She gulped twice. "No.. Not Squall, not like that" She stopped talking, in silent shock. "HEY WASSUP." Zell arrived at the scene. He was oblivious to the gloom. "You've seen everything Rinoa? Haha, I told them those T-boards were handy and now it's proven." "Zell..." Quistis began. "It was WILD man. and the looks of those fellas when that arrow hit me. Wouldn't know what they'd do if I'd have summoned Quetzie. Hahahaha." "ZELL..." Quistis began again. "Ohwell, what I wanted to say is that Squall and your dog are in the docter's at the radio tower, so eh seeyaaaaa....?" Rinoa had jumped and grabbed Zell's neck as he was turning around and would be strangling him if not for the junctions. "SQUALL'S ALIVE?" "Oh, yeah, didn't you know that. They found him with Angelo guarding him. If it wasn't for me showing up they might have shot Angelo. Wouldn't let everyone near him and even if he couldn't walk anymoere, he sure could bite." Rinoa kissed Zell on each cheek and than slapped them both, than she ran off.  
  
(soon gonna do a little epilogue on this and than we're gonna move on. Sorry it took so long. real life interfered) 


	7. City in strife Epilogue

When Rinoa entered the radio tower she saw it was full of injured people. Caraway had ordered the wounded to be brought to HQ, since when the HQ would fall, everything'd be messed up anyway. The first person that talked to her was Dr. Kadowaki, who had arrived to help the army docters and the docters that had fled the hospital when it was attacked by monsters.When she saw Rinoa she startled. "Rinoa? You're an absolute mess girl."  
  
Rinoa shugged. She had several partly healed wounds on her body and she felt like she could sleep for a year. "No matter, where's Squall?"   
  
The medic smiled. "I see, right this way Ms. Heartlilly"   
  
"Mrs. Heartlilly" Rinoa giggled, despite her tiredness. Squall was allright! She was startled when she saw him. His head was bandaged, his left leg and his right arm were in bandages and his torso was also invisible behind the bandages. "SQUALL!" She heard barking., Angelo was laying behind Squall on a mat on the floor, and in contradiction to the standards for military infirmaries. "ANGELO." Angeloo looked as bad as Squall, with his two hind legs clearly immobilized, one of his eyes covered with a large bandage.  
  
Squall looked tired. "Ri...Rinoa..you're allright" Rinoa moved to hug him but the look of terror in Squall's eyes made him stop and take a second look at his injuries. She turned to Dr. Kadowaki.   
  
"Why isn't he cured yet?"   
  
Kadowaki turned back to her. She looked irritated, as she had little time to spare "Because MRS. Heartlilly, Squall has used curaga's far too often for one night allready. It's draining his energy. If he gets healed too much he might go into a coma! I am NOT an amateur in this thing, MRS. Heartlilly. I've been a docter before you were born."   
  
Rinoa nodded. "Sorry, You're right. I'm just tired."   
  
The older woman smiled, her irritation forgotten. "You'd better go get some sleep too. I think there's a bed overthere. you look like something the dog dragged in."  
  
Rinoa smiled and yawned. "Yeah, feel like it too" She walked up to the bed, not too far from Squall and Angelo and fell almost before her head stopped sinking into the cushion.  
  
....  
  
"So Angelo actually saved him?" Rinioa asked?  
  
It was late in the morning. Squall, Rinoa and Angelo had slept around the clock, and Dr. Kadowaki had allowed them to receive a cura so they could walk around again, though she promised she would strap them to their beds if they got in a fight with a bitebug. After a breakfast of Dincht proportions they had sat down to talk with Quistis and Zell.  
  
"Yeah" Zell answered "A bunch of SeeD's heard him barking and saw Squall on the ground near him. He didn't trust them though, and snapped at them, and boy, Angelo's bites go straight trough flesh even if it got Cura junctioned to keep it whole. One of those rookie SeeD's has found out the hard way." Rinoa petted Angelo smiling. Angelo lifted his nose in pride, though he probably didn't know what about. "They saw Squall was hurt pretty bad and were about to use lethal force when I arrived. Angelo almost didn't recognize me, his nose and eyes were full of blood. But after I atlked to him he calmed down, and fell over. I took them both to the doctor. Dr. Kadowaki told went pale when she saw Squall. She inmediately took some people with her and started operating. It took her 45 minutesto finish on him. She than had people put him in that bed and started working on Angelo. Oh, by the way Rinoa, your father arrived at your bed."  
  
Rinoa's face lit up. "Oh, what did he say?"  
  
"He demanded that you and Squall be brought to his house and be treated by his personal docter. He commented that you deserved to be treated by the best docters. Well, he got into a shouting match with Dr. Kadowaki and when she turned her back on him he grabbe dher shoulder and said 'Hold it right there woman!" and than she... she..."  
  
Quistis had half a smile on her face. "She kneed him in the groin."  
  
Squall's face remained passive, but his legs slid an inch to eachother. Rinoa seemed tossed between laughter and anger, than settled for worry. "Is he allright?"  
  
Quistis lifted her eyebrows. "He buckled up, stayed down for a minute, rose again, saluted at her and walked away. Awkardly but straight. A remakable man."  
  
Squall nodded silently and than asked "Who gave the order to assist here? Genera... Dad hasn't got the money for anythingl ike that attack. Who is the headmaster of Balamb Garden anyway?"  
  
Quistis smiled. "Xu is the headmistress now. Some say she was the one who kept Garden running for a long time now. She has announced that she is making plans for the future of Garden, but that we have to get our finances sorted out first. The cronies of the Garden-master have taken a lot of money with them, not to mention the cost of the repairs to Garden after that fight with Galbadia Garden, and the rebuilding of Trabia and restoration of Galbadia Garden."  
  
Squall closed his eyes in thought. Yes, Xu would be a fine leader. She was a no-nonsense figure, even Seifer had been wary around her, since she didn't worship him as many others did, including to an extent the headmaster. "But why did she allow for the attack. It must have cost ten-thousands of Gil."  
  
Quistis smiled again and looked at Zell. "I think Zell can tell you that. Right Zell?" Zell shrugged as he turned his reddeningface away and Quistis started.  
  
....  
  
"Headmistress!... headmistress!"  
  
Xu looked up from her conversation with Quistis about her promotion to instructor in irritation. "Yes Zell? Why did you disturb a private conversation?" There was frost in her voice.  
  
Zell showed them a printed page. It was from an online newspage and showed Galbadian soldiers riding in the city. The headline sported the title "Civil war to new peak in Galbadia"  
  
"Yes Zell. I know Galbadia is in civil war. Even the GF's talk about it! Now..."  
  
"BUT GENERAL CARAWAY LEADS THEM. And he was in the hospital after a suicide attempt 5 days ago. And look, on this picture... It's a gunbade just like the one Squall uses. Squall is there,, and so Rinoa too we've got to save them"  
  
"No"  
  
"Wh...WHAT! ... I..."   
  
Xu looked Zell straight in the eye. "Do you have ANY idea how much such an action would cost.All our funds are going to reperations of the Gardens, do you REALLY think we can go into a city in the middle of a civil war just to save some EX-SeeD and a sorceress?"  
  
"THEy SAVED THE WORLD"  
  
"So did we by helping them. We owe Squall nothing, and he owns us nothing. Our ties are broken."  
  
"He's our FRIEND!" He looked at Quistis, who was sweating and palde.  
  
"Xu..."she began  
  
"Leave her out of this Zell. We're not dispatcing the whole of Galbadia Garden to save Squall. We CANNOT afford it. Friendship is well and good, but it doesn't buy us food."  
  
Zell stared her straight in the face. He took a piece of official looking paper from his pocket, wrote on it and put it on Xu's table. She read it and looked surprised at him. "That's... about... all your SeeD wages uptill now."  
  
Zell nodded grimly, breathing heavily trough his nose.  
  
Xu sighed. "Zell, I se ethat they mean a lot to you, but the costs involved are huge. It goes in the million Gil and..." Zell had thrown something else on her table. She looked and looked completely flabbergasted at him. "Y...Your... SeeD...license"  
  
Zell grit his teeth. "After Squall left, I'm one of the best fighters of Garden, SeeD deserves good money from me. I don't mind. But I'm a friend first and than a SeeD."  
  
Xu looked at the license as if it would bite her. She composed herself however and calmly spoke, "SeeD level 19 Zell Dincht"  
  
"Yes headmistress"  
  
"You are hereby degraded to SeeD level 1 for disrespect to a superior, 50% of your wage and everything above 20000 Gil will be kept by Garden untill the costs incurred by Mission Galbadia will be repayed, corrected with inflation and at an interest of 3% a year. you will follow the orders of Instructor Trepe on the missions and, oh Zell?"  
  
Zell was beaming "Yes, Headmistress"  
  
"Try such a thing again and you'll get your license back, piece by piece trough your throat, now get out of my office before I change my mind!"  
  
"Yes Headmistress"  
  
Zell left. Xu turned to Quistis. "Do me a favor Quistis, make sure Zell doesn't do something stupid like dying. Garden NEEDS that money. It really does"  
  
Quistis nodded. "I know Xu, don't worry, bette rpeople have tried to destroy Zell"  
  
Xu nodded glumly "Well, you prepare the eams while i go talk with Nina"  
  
Quistis saluted out of habit and left the room.  
  
... 


	8. New neighbours, old memories

Squall looked at the old bar looking for places where ambushes could occur out of habbit. He had a strange feeling in his stomach coming here. He frowned. A SeeD with a butterfly-belly, what's next? He softly shook his head, not a SeeD anymore. Just Squall Leonheart, new inhabitant of Winhill. And Squall could have butterflies in his belly whenever he wanted. He grimaced. The butterflies had died in his glumness. He had memories of this place. Some were his own, and some where not. Some where as vivid as yesterday, some were blurred, and some were just out of reach, mearly a vague feeling of loss somewhere. Here Ellone had spend her happiest years, before Adel's treatement had turned her into the key to the fate of the world, and she had to live a life of running, rendering her a frightened and desperate young woman, leaving behind everyone she loved. Here Laguna probably had talked for hours with her, revealing all his dreams and probably boring her. It had been the only moment of rest for the adventuring man (irresponsible coward, a voice in him hissed) Here Raine had served many a meal and drink, and upstairs in that room, if he could believe the old woman of the flower shop, he was born. It seemed... fitting that he would return here. Not to mention that this seemed to be a place where people could lead happy and safe lives. Galbadia, Timber, Dollet, Balamb Eshtar, even Fisherman's Horizon all were stained with violence, with blood that he had spilled. Of course, there were other villages, but the only tragedy that happened here was a natural one.  
  
Rinoa and Angelo followed him, the young woman carrying a heavy bag. Squall might be a knight, but his protection was regarding dangers. He knew she was capable of lifting the heavy bag. besides, his was just as heavy, and he carried something else. The Lionheart.  
  
Rinoa dropped the bag. "It's WONDERFULL Squall." She hugged him and he almost dropped his stuff. "It's just like Ellone told me. It's so wonderfully peacefull. Even Timber is a pandemonium compared to this."   
  
Timber certainly HAD been a pandemonium when all the Galbadian soldiers left and they suddenly got thir independance. They had elected the old boss of Timber Maniacs as president. HE'd be allright, Squall thought, if a bit too talkative. Not like President Caraway of Galbadia. When the question if he would run was asked Caraway had looked at the side, Rinoa had nodded, and Caraway had done likewise.He had won in the second round, with dozens of opponents that couldn't make a united front, and the yound Deling being his opponent in the second round. HE won that round with a staggering 72%. Allright, only 43% of the people had bothered to vote, but Caraway was working hard to create some faith in democracy. His first order of buisiness was to tell the parlement that they shouldn't let themselves be bullied by him, but he still had to learn to obey more, and the people needed to learn how to command.  
  
Angelo was sniffing at all the furniture, and Squall was thakfull the animal knew that the house was not available for 'markings' He climbed the stairs and looked around the empty bedroom. The room felt chilly, even in the sun. He had been here before, and had been confronted by the woman that lived here backthen. She had told him there was a ghost here. The mayor had told him she had left a couple of weeks later. They had bhought the house pretty cheap. Still, Squall hadn't been a SeeD for long, and while the hazard pay for the Ultimecia was the biggest ever given to a SeeD, this house took quite a bite from it, and both he and Rinoa didn't want to go and beg money from General Caraway. They'd have to get some source of income, and Squall and Rinoa had decided what that would be. Squall chuckled inwardly, a lot of people would be surprised. But tonight was not the time for work. Tomorrownight they were settling in and, Squall sighed, people would visit them, so the house had to be presentable pronto. Later in the afternoon the movers would come with the rest of the furniture, so they had about an hour to wander around.. Squall looked out of the window, looking at the view of the townssquare. Beautifull for such a small town. He noticed two men walking towards their new house, looking at their door, not noticing Squall watching them. Squall instictively took a hidden position and observed them. A man with blonde hair, almost to shoulderlength, in his early forties and rather tall and a smaller blackhaired man, mid-thirty and sporting a small moustache. Squall moved away from the window and almost chockled out loud at his paranoia. He heard them knocking at the door downstairs and heard Rinoa greeting them. Time to be a good host, he thought glum.  
  
When he walked down the staies he saw the two men having a friendly conversation with Rinoa. Squall was early and it hadn't advanced further than the usual obligated 'welcome, don't mind the mess' and 'Love what you've done with the place'. When one of the men looked up at Squall however, his smile froze on his face. His companion followed his gaze and reacted likewise. Squall inmediately grew nervous. His hand raced at his side, only to find two empty belts.  
  
"You...?" The blond man uttered "You are our neigbour?" He sounded surprised, with a hint of fear.  
  
Squall frowned. "Do I know you?" The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite remember it.  
  
The smaller man gave a nervous chuckle. "Of course he doesn't remember us Biggs. We were just one of the many opponents he faced and defeated. Let me give you a hint Mr... Lionheart it was? Dollet." As he said the last word he stroked with his hand a scar on his face.  
  
Squall's forehead wrinkled. Dollet, Biggs, opponents... Of course. "You'r the two from atop the communication tower in Dollet. I haven't seen you since the Pandora."  
  
The taller man, Biggs, and the other one is Wedge, Squall remembered frowned. "Pandora? We've been there, but I don't remmeber facing you, and if i did, I would have remembered."  
  
Squall actually smiled softly "We didn't face you as such. We overheard you talking about resigning. You owe Quistis for keeping Zell from charging you as soon a she saw you."  
  
Rinoa, who had been calming Angelo now raised an eyebrow at Squall. "If the military men are done raising memories could one of them tell me who these gentlemen are?"  
  
Wedge laughed "Not military men anymore Mrs Lionheart..."  
  
"...Heartlilly" Rinoa corrected  
  
"Mrs. Heartlilly. And it seems we made that decision at exactly the right time."  
  
...  
  
After the explanation Rinoa asked "Are you the same people that Selphie and the others fought in the D-district Prison? She told me of two soldiers she met in Dollet before."  
  
Biggs smiled "nothing than good reports I hope?"  
  
"Hmmm, pretty little. you were crammed between a long explanationm why the warden was a meanie and a description of the elevators. But she remembered you from Dollet."  
  
Wedge smiled "oh yeah, I remember her. She's got a way with those nunchaku's."  
  
Rinoa smiled "well, from what I've heard of Squall you aren't half bad either. Said you were about the best soldiers Galbadia had he met"  
  
Biggs shrugged "not good enough obviously, that's what the colonel said too." There was a hintmof regret in his voice.  
  
Squall sniffed. "Nonsense. We had numerical and material advantadge, not to mention you were swept away by the elvoret. The colonel was a fool, probably only interested in finding a scapegoat."  
  
Wedge lifted his hand "No need to make the story nicer for us. We sucked and...."  
  
Rinoa laughed hard. "You don't know Squall very well if you think he'd lie to you to make you fele better. I still remember how he answered Zell back when we were going to Galbadia garden."  
  
...  
  
"One thing I don't understand however" Squall said. "How come you didn't recognize Rinoa? The whole Galbadian army was looking for her."  
  
Wedge shrugged. "We had other worries on our head than. The boss of the D-district prison had some friends in high places and managed to make us take the fall. We weren't really in top-morale back than" His face stood dark.  
  
Biggs nodded "Yeah, I was getting pretty disillusioned. So one day we resigned, were booted out of that machine and walked back from Eshtar. We hung around Fisherman's horizon a bit, but we were still wearing our uniform and even after we bought some new clothes we could still feel some hostility, so we moved on."  
  
Wedge continued "We didn't want to see a soldier in our life again, so we went to this area. Small villages everywhere, no military needed, since noone wants these lands anyway. Perfect for us. We bought the house nextdoor since noone here seems to want it and it was pretty cheap, if a little rundown. But Biggs here know a bit about repairing things. And we were living here just a few weeks when you arrived"  
  
...  
  
"So, how did you two meet anyway?" Rinoa asked  
  
Biggs smiled "Oh, we both volunteered for the army in the same year, and we both were pretty good, and since our skills were could be nicely combined together, we were stacked together in a few missions."  
  
Wedge looked at Biggs with a raised eyebrow "We were pretty competing in the beginning. Eventually Biggs became my CO because he was a better suck-up."  
  
Biggs slapped Wedge's shoulder and laughed "You're just jealous YOU didn't think of ambushing an Eshtar patrole alone and than giving the capitain the credit."  
  
Wedge rolled his eyes "Anyway, ever since than I've been taking orders. It wa s a bit hard to stop doing it, so he decided to order me around till I got in the habit of refusing to do ANYTHING unless he sais 'please' It worked, only I just have the tendency to ignore him now and than unless he uses the magic word."  
  
Rinoa laughed "So, you don't have any relatives in other areas? You've just dissapeared of the earth.  
  
Biggs face went glum. "they were killed by Eshtar soldiers when I was 15. It was the main reason i joined the military. I got over it though. If I'd have to hate all nations that orphaned children I'd hate humanity in general."  
  
Rinoa saw Squall's hand tighthen.  
  
Wedge had an angry look on his face. "I've got a... dispute with my family. Suffice to say that they won't shed a tear for me if I die. When they chased me out they lived in Timber. I heard the army is like a second family, so I figured I'd make it my first."  
  
...  
  
An old truck parked near the house. Squall looked at his watch. "The movers are there with our stuff. We ought to go help them."  
  
Wedge and Biggs rose from their chairs. After the goodbyes Squall grabbed Biggs at the shoulder before he could leave and quietly asked him to keep his identity a secret. Little did he know Wedge was asking the same favor from Rinoa. Biggs reacted with an understanding nod, Rinoa with an invitation for tomorrowevening. They than all left the house. Wedge and Biggs to their home, and Rinoa and Squall, finally, to furniture THEIR home.  
  
To be Continued. 


End file.
